End of the Journey
by WriterFrantic16
Summary: When all is said and done, when the time for adventure has ended, when their destines must separate, what will they say?


Disclaimer: I don`t own EBF or its characters.

Journey`s End

"Well, I guess this is it." Lance leaned on his gunblade, sighing as they stopped at the crossroads. The single path all four adventures were traveling on had ended, now splitting into four different paths. They all looked identical and mysterious, but would lead each of the four to their respective destinies whatever it may be.

"Oh…" Natalie`s grip on her staff tightened as she looked, gazing out at the wide horizon that stretched on for miles without any obstruction. "Is this…the end?"

"I don`t know you guys." Anna nervously shifted her feet, trying to postpone the final goodbye. "Can`t we stay together? I mean, we make an amazing team! We saved the world several times over!"

"But it all has to end Anna." Matt gently smiled and stuck his sword into the ground, stepping in front and turning to face his teammates. "All good things must come to an end, even our journeys together. I mean, look how far we`ve gotten! Natz, do you remember our first journey? Just the two of us?"

"We defeated that weird undead swordsman!" Natalie`s eyes brightened as she remembered the first and second journey. "And we defeated Lance back when he was a psycho!"

"Ahem!" Lance coughed. "I would like to say in my defense that I was…distraught at the state of the world at the time.

"But you three came to this world!" Anna reminded her friends. "And you already got yourselves into trouble the minute you landed!"

"Hey!" Natz and Matt both protested.

Lance reluctantly smiled as he remembered the third adventure. "Matt, Natz, and I all teamed up to rid the world of Amon, the instrument for destruction."

"And let`s not forget our first journey altogether!" The ranger cheered, practically bouncing on her feet as her bow shifted positions on her back. "We showed Godcat the true meaning of humanity and saved the world from utter annihilation!"

"That`s right!" Matt took off his hat and lowered his head. "Let us dwell not on the sadness of goodbye for now, but remember all our adventures together. Us four..."

"Meow!"

"Oh, and No Legs as well." Matt laughed. "Sorry little guy. But anyway…the memories are still with us are they not?"

"Right."

"Yeah."

"Uh-huh!"

"Then what have we to fear?" The four fell silent for a few more minutes at the crossroads before Anna stepped up.

"Well, I guess…goodbye you guys!" The green haired girl tried to smile, but tears were freely falling from her face. Her body was shaking as it took a few steps forward and stopped, unsure of its movements. Finally, Anna made up her decision. "I`ll miss you all at the village! Come visit sometime!" She sobbed, wiping her tears with her sleeves.

"Of course!" The three chimed and Anna nodded. The archer then took off down one of the paths, her various flutes trailing behind as the newest member left the party. There was more silence before Lance stepped up, nervously clearing his throat.

"You guys…showed me the true path I suppose." The brown haired boy awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "I have to admit that when I first saw you, I thought you to be monsters!"

"No harm," Matt commented. "And to be fair, we did cause and survive an apocalypse"

"It wasn`t fun to have you tank ram into me several times!" Natalie playfully teased. "If that`s how you treat a woman-"

"Ahem!" Lance kicked the dirt at his feet before ending his speech in a very tiny voice. "To conclude everything…"

"Just get on with it!" Matt and Natalie yelled. To their surprise, the stoic gunman dropped his gunblade and rushed forward, hugging them both.

"I`M GOING TO MISS YOU TWO IDIOTS!" Lance cried, letting out all his bottled up emotions. "I can`t leave you for the army! After all the years we spent together, what will I do without you?!"

"Calm down!" Natalie gently pushed the boy off her and looked at him in the eyes, grabbing both his hands. "You were a great friend Lance. I can- no, I _know_ that you will be great without us!"

"Right!" Matt patted his brother-in-arms` back. "Just keep a positive look at life and you`ll achieve anything!"

"…alright." The boy picked up his weapon and turned to face the road. He took a deep breath. "You two, take care without me!" And with that, the boy in an officer uniform took off, his radio and rifle clattering against each other as the first newcomer left the party. Now, only Natalie and Matt remained.

And awkwardness ruled supreme.

"Er…"

"Um…"

Both of them couldn`t meet each other`s eyes as they casted them everywhere, seeking an opening to break the ice. It had to be at least a good five minutes of stuttering before Natalie finally spoke up.

"Matt…can`t you come with me?" The spell caster placed her hand on his arm and gazed into his eyes. "I`m sure my parents will accept you as one of our own! And there is more than enough room in the castle for you and No Legs-"

"I`m sorry Natz, but…" Matt gently shook off her hand and looked out at the horizon. "Settling down isn`t from me. I was born an adventurer and was raised like one."

"But we`ve had so many adventures together…the two of us…" Natalie looked out at the horizon as well, the wind swaying her long red hair back and forth. "Do those adventures mean nothing? Is your sense for the unknown still great enough to overtake my feelings?"

"No!" Matt`s sudden response startled Natalie as the pirate grabbed her and hugged her. She didn`t know anyway to respond but hug him back. "Natz! Don`t you even think for I second that I don`t want to stay with you! Every day that we`ll be gone, I`ll miss you. You`re my first and best friend."

"Matt…" The swordsman and mage continued hugging each other for quite some time before it had to end. Natalie gently pushed him away and smiled, striking her staff on the ground. "Until the next crisis then! I won`t forget you!"

"Neither will I," Matt reassured her. "And stay away from other men. They may not be so gentle with you as I am."

The girl laughed, her voice much like chimes in the wind. "Take care Sir Matt!" And with that, she began walking down a path, her staff tapping on the ground as one of the original members of the party left. Now, only Matt was left at the crossroads.

Oh, and No Legs as well I suppose.

"…" Matt closed his eyes for several moments before calling out. "Halyconic, please come out. Everybody`s…gone now."

"Really?" The air behind Matt shimmered as a blue haired girl in a simple white dress turned off her invisibility flair and reveled herself. "No Legs is still here."

"But he already knows about you," Matt replied as she picked up the limbless cat, petting him with care. "Cat sense are very acute, you know."

"Yeah, yeah." No Legs purred in her arms as she talked, soothed by her soft voice. "Anyway…where are you heading?"

"Back." Matt turned around and faced the road from where his original four man/woman party came. "You`re going on ahead right? To share our journeys with other worlds?"

"Of course." Halyconic placed No Legs down. "But I`ll be back once the story and music is finished."

"Alright, then I suppose I`ll see you soon. Take care."

"You too Matt. Take care!" And with that, the blue haired girl disappeared into thin air, walking unseen down the final road.

"Well No Legs old buddy, it`s really just you and me now." Matt picked him up and scratched his head. "Shall we get- What`s this?"

No Legs had something in his mouth. A letter. After some careful prying, Matt managed to get the saliva covered letter out of his cat`s teeth. As No Legs meowed at his feet, the blond hair pirate opened the letter and smiled.

Anna had scrawled "Don`t take an arrow to the knee!"

Lance had jotted "Don`t get a bullet in your head!"

Natalie had written "Don`t ever lose heart!"

"My friends…" Matt smiled and tucked the letter away, placing it near his heart. "One day, I will return!" And with that, the founder and creator of the party left the crossroads.

**_END_**

**Reviews are always appreciated!**


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